Reclosable dispensing carton



Aug. 22, 1961 J. GIMPLE 2,997,221

RECLOSABLE DISPENSING CARTON Filed on. 10, 1957 United States Patent 2,997,221 RECLOSABLE DISPENSING CARTON John L. Gimple, Toledo, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Dairypair Butler Inc., Olmsted Falls, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 10, 1957, Ser. No. 689,327 7 Claims. (Cl. 229-17) My invention relates to a carton and particularly to a carton used for the periodic dispensing of the carton contents. The invention provides an improvement in a reclosable dispensing carton whereby the initial and subsequent openings of the carton may be accomplished without unfolding or exerting forces tending to unfold the carton. Therefore, the invention particularly lends itself to adaptation to cartons of the style commonly known as wrap style in which the carton walls are held in position by folding, rather than by gluing, stitching or other similar connecting means and subsequent openings of the carton may be accomplished without unfolding or exerting forces tending to unfold the carton.

A feature of my invention lies in the provision of an arrangement by which the openable portion of the carton is held initially closed by a structural element of the carton, and may even constitute a part of that carton structural element, that is engaged to exert the force necessary to open the openable portion. Thus, the forces to open the carton are confined in their exertion to the carton structural element rather than finding release in moving the structural element relative to other structural elements of the carton. This is important when the structural element constitutes the end closure flap of the carton and its movement relative other carton structural elements would effect dismantling and collapse of the carton.

It is commonplace, particularly in what is known in the trade as a Eastern Flat wrap style folded carton, such as that used to package butter or margarine, to slit the carton end closure flap along a line parallel to and spaced a short distance from one edge of the flap to form an openable door flap near one corner of the carton whereby a quarter pound stick print of the butter or margarine may be discharged, one at a time as needed, through the opening formed when the door flap is open. To some extent, it is also conventional to provide a tang of unbroken or unslit paperboard material extending between the door fiap and end flap to hold the door flap closed and in plane with the end flap during packaging, this tang being adapted to be ruptured by the user in securing initial entry into the carton. In such constructions, to enable initial rupture to be accomplished, my predecessors provide the side wall of the carton, opposite to that to which the end flap is hinged, with a notch or recess into which the carton user may insert a finger nail to engage the inner surface of the door flap, enabling a pry to be exerted on the door flap in outward direction rupturing the holding tang and moving the door flap to an open position. In some prior structures, the notch has a closing flap which when bent provides an opening large enough to insert more of the finger than just the nail to pry the door flap open.

The critical fault with these prior art structures, which my invention proposes to correct, is that there is no provision by which the forces exerted to pry the door flap open may be offset. Rather, these forces react to cause the entire end flap to open and unfold. This defeats the purpose of providing only an opening of limited crosssection and of keeping of the end flap folded and, in a carton whose continued erection depends on the elements thereof remaining folded, allows the carton to collapse and spill its contents.

My invention has for its object to provide an arrange- "ice ment by which the reaction of the forces applied to pry a door flap portion of an end flap open will not cause the end flap to become unfolded. Particularly, in one form my invention provides that the force to pry the door flap portion open will react against and be absorbed 1within the body of the end flap and its connecting tuck The invention has for another object to provide a door flap structure in an end flap of a carton of the kind described in which the end flap has a full tuck flap, in the sense of being a length equal to the width of the carton side wall with which the tuck flap tucks, when the carton is erect. This feature is important in giving the carton a desired rigidity and resistance to collapse.

My invention has other and further objects which will appear from the following description and from the accompanying drawing which together describe and show what now appears to me to be the best mode by which my invention may be carried out. However, it should not be implied, from the description which follows or the reference therein to the drawing, that other forms are beyond the contemplation of my invention as made manifest and claimed herein.

FIGURE 1 of the accompanying drawing illustrates a perspective view of a reclosable dispensing carton embodying the features of my invention, the overwrapper which encloses such a carton being shown partly cut away to better illustrate the carton features.

FIGURE 2 of the drawing is a plan view of a paperboard blank from which the carton of FIGURE 1 is formed.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of the carton shown in FIGURE 1 showing the carton opening process.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged section of the carton parts shown in FIGURE 3.

The drawing illustrates an Eastern Flat style of carton 10 comprising a plurality of adjoining side walls 11 which when located in carton erecting relation shown in FIGURE 1 of the accompanying drawing form an open end tube of rectilinear cross-section. One of said side walls namely the side wall indicated 11' has an end flap 12' (see FIGURE 2 of the drawing) extending therefrom. The end flap 12 is set oif from the side wall 11' and hingedly connected thereto by a line of scoring 15.

The end flap 12 has, on its end, a tuck flap 16. The tuck flap 16 is set oif and hingedly connected to the end flap by another line of scoring 17 that is spaced from and extends parallel to the line of scoring 15. The tuck flap 16, after the manner well known in the art, is adapted to be bent at approximately right angles to the end flap 12 and to be tucked under an edge 18 of the side wall indicated 11" opposite, when the carton It is erect as shown in FIGURE 1 of the accompanying drawing, to the sidewall 11' from which the end flap 12 extends.

Inserting the tuck flap 16 under the edge 18 of side wall 11" places the outer surface of the tuck flap in contact with the inner surface of the side wall 11". This, through the friction generated between these surfaces, which the presence and pressure exerted by the carton contents on said tuck fiap may increase, serves in some cases to hold tuck flap 16 in its tucked relation and in so doing holds the end flap 12 in carton closing relation. Other provisions for holding the tuck flap in its tucked relation include such expediencies as score bulges mentioned in United States Letters Patent No. 2,067,654 and slits as suggested in United States Letters Patent No. 1,103,708 or notches as taught by United States Letters Patent No. 1,989,659.

Holding the tuck flap 16 under the edge 18 and thereby holding the end flap 12 in carton closing relation across the open end of the tube formed by the side walls 11 is of considerable importance where the carton is held erect and rendered practically rigid by virtue of the folding and interengagement of its side wall and end flap elements, as distinguished from that situation in which the continuance of the erect condition is assured by the carton elements being glued or stitched together. Hence, folded carton users have favored, where the nature of the package contents permit, a carton, the opening of which may be effected without disengaging the tuck flap from its tucked relation with the carton side wall. To accomplish this it has been the practice to preslit the end flap along a line extending parallel to and fairly proximate ofone side edge of the end flap to form a hinged door flap in and out of part of the end flap. The door flap, using the hinge provided by the scoring between the end flap and side wall, when swung outwardly and open gives passageway of limited cross-section to the carton contents. Where the contents are four one quarter-pound stick prints of butter or margarine, the passageway allows these prints to pass one at a time, and thus in orderly fashion outwardly when needed, from the carton. The door flap provides a temporary closure of sorts between successive dispensings from the carton and obviates the need to untuck the tuck flap and to that extent solved the problem arising as a consequence of untucking. However, in order to hold the door flap closed and in plane with the end flap during packaging and thus to prevent undesired confusion and entangling of the automatic machinery such as overwrappers and such usually used in that process, my predecessors cut the door flap defining slit in the end flap as to leave an unslit tang of the paper-board material extending between the door flap and end flap. The presence of this tang necessitates, preliminary to the initial opening of the door flap, that the user rupture the tang by forcing the door flap outwardly relative to the end flap.

The force necessary to effect such rupture and the direction of its application very often is more than enough to pull the whole end flap outwardly dislodging the tuck flap from its tucked relation. This allows the carton to collapse, the carton contents to fall helterskelter out of the carton and, in these and many other ways, defeats the very purposes for which the door flap is provided.

A carton in which the features of my invention are included and which features I shall now point out in the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawing does not have the faults I have just mentioned. Instead, a structure embodying my invention includes parts by which the force applied to the door flap to initially rupture the holding tang has a counter-action on the tuck fiap tending to hold it against movement as would produce untucking or if to move at all to move into even more intimate tucking relation.

Referring to the drawing particularly to FIGURE 2 thereof, I there show the end flap 12 to have a transverse slit 19 in spaced parallel relation to and more nearly proximate to a side edge 12 of the end flap than to the other side edge of the end flap 12. The slit 19' preferably extends from a point on the line of scoring 15 for a distance away therefrom slightly less than the entire width of the end flap. By so limiting the length of the slit 19, a tang of unslit paper-board extends between portions a and b of the end flap 12 on opposite sides of the slit 19. The a portion of the end flap 12 between the slit 19 and side edge 12' of the end flap 12, on rupture of the tang 20, in the structures of my predecessors constitute a door flap of the kind and purpose I have previously discussed. That is so because contrary to my structure and to its advantage, the tuck flap of my predecessors structures is shorter, by a disi tance equal to length of the door flap, than the width of the side Wall 11" with which it tucks.

In the structure embodying my invention, the tuck flap 16 is as long as the side wall 11 with which it tucks is wide. Having the tuck fiap 16 this full length assures that it has adequate surface area for a frictional holding contact with the inner surface of side wall 11" to hold the end flap closed. Or if, rather than friction, the carton depends on the kinds of lockup suggested by the previously mentioned United States Letters Patents, the full length of tuck flap 16 provided by my invention assures that side edges 16 of the tuck flap 16 are spaced apart from each other sufficiently that each engage and press into the carton corners and the scores there at which the side walls 11 adjoining and on either side of side wall 11" meet.

Because the tuck flap 16 in a structure embodying my invention is the specified advantageous full length, it is necessary to provide a second slit 22 in the tuck flap 16. More specifically, the slit 22 extends in alignment with and from one end of the scoring 17 between the end flap 12 and tuck flap 16. The slit 22 originates at a point on the scoring 17 at which a lineal projection of the slit 19 would intersect said scoring 17. From this originating point, the slit extends toward the side edge 12 of the end flap 12 to a point slightly spaced from the edge 12. By thus limiting the length of the slit 22, an unslit tang 23 of paper-board material will remain to join the portion a of the end flap with the tuck flap 16. The tang 23, like the tang 20, is rupturable and operates with tang 20, until they are both torn, to hold portion a in plane with the 1; portion of the end flap 12 It will be apparent (see FIGURE 4 of the drawing) that the portion a of the form shown in the drawing, defined by the slits 19 and 22, the side edge 12 and scoring 15, constitutes a door flap to an opening a, when the. tangs 20 and 23 holding portion a are ruptured. It is intended that the carton user shall rupture the tangs 20 and 23 by forcing the portion a of the end flap outwardly.

In order to accomplish this, without exerting forces that would tend to move the tuck flap 16 from its tucked relation, I provide the tuck flap with an opening 25. The opening 25 has two primary and essential edges 26 and 27 of which one, the edge 26, is an edge of portion a formed by the slit 22. The other edge 27 of the opening 25 is spaced from the edge 26 a distance approximately that of the thickness of the tip end of a human index finger such as the finger shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. Preferably, the edge 27 of the accompanying drawing is, straight and in parallel relation to the edge 26. Thus, when the carton user, a housewife, for example, desires to open the door flap portion a of carton 10 she does so by merely placing the tip of her index finger f in line With the, opening 25 and inserting the finger, by thrusting it down through the opening 25 and in a direction inward of the carton 10. The thrusting finger tends (FIGURE 4 of the drawing) to move the edges 26 and 27 further apart. This tends to move portion a outwardly against the resistance exerted by the tangs 20 and 23. The outward movement of portion a ruptures the tangs 20 and 23, freeing the portion a to swing unrestrictedly open on the hinge provided by scoring 15.

It will be noted, that while the thrusting finger was. exerting pressure on edge 26 to move portion a as aforesaid, a counter-active pressure was being exerted by the finger f on edge 27, tending to urge the tuck flap 16 into its aforesaid tucked relation with the side wall 11". In a sense, therefore, the presence of the edge 27 enables the advantageous utilization of forces counter-active to that of Opening the carton 10 to hold the tuck flap 16' against responding to the components of the forces of opening the door flap portion a in the end flap 12. Hence, in a carton embodying my invention, the act of opening the door flap portion of the end flap is rendered easy and may be accomplished without disturbing the tucked relation of its tuck flap.

So that the finger insert space opening 25 in the tuck flap 16 may be accessible for finger insertion, as aforesaid, the edge 18 of the side wall 11" has a reentrant portion or notch 29. The edge of the notch 29 substantially surrounds the finger insert space opening 25. Preferably, the edge of notch 29 is, either spaced from the edges of the opening '25, or when the carton is erect, as shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawing, the notch edge registers with the opening edges, particularly the edge 27 of the opening 25. If the notch edge were to extend materially into the opening 25 and particularly well over the edge 27, the advantage of which I have spoken would, in part, be lost.

If desired, the finger insert space opening 25 may be formed to have a closing fiap 30. In that event, the

paperboard material within the edges of the opening 25- is retained. Instead, the edge 27 of the opening 25 is only scored or perforated and provides a hinged connection between the fiap 30 and the tuck flap 16. Now, when the carton user inserts a finger f to open the door flap portion a as previously described, the first effect of finger thrusting will be to swing the flap 30 inwardly and out of the way. From that point the application of forces to open the door flap portion a and to retain the tuck flap 16 tucked will be as previously described.

The carton 10 may be enclosed in a suitable overwrap 31 which may be imprintedto identify the carton contents and source. In addition the overwrap 31 may bear an imprint 32 of instructions for opening the carton in the manner described herein. When such an overwrap is used, the forces applied to opening the door flap portion a tear the overwrap 31 only along suitable lines coinciding with the edges of the door flap portion a. Thus when an overwrap is used','myinvention prevents, in the opening of the door flap a, the development and application of forces that would tend to needlessly tear the overwrap.

After first opening the door flap portion a may be bent to closed position and the carton 10 stored as in a refrigerator, until need for further of the contents of the carton develops. This may continue until the entire contents have been disbursed and the carton thereafter disposed of.

I claim:

1. In a wrap style reclosable dispensing carton having adjoining side Walls forming an open end tube, an end flap extending from one end of one side wall, a line of scoring extending between the end flap and the last named side wall and providing a hinged connection of the end fiap to said side wall, a tuck flap on the end of the end flap and of a length equal to the width of one of said side walls; a second line of scoring on the end flap and spaced from and parallel to the first mentioned line of scoring and providing hinged connection of the tuck flap to the end flap, said tuck flap being adapted to be bent relative to the end fiap and, when the carton is erect, to be tucked under an edge and thereby engage the surface of a side wall opposite to the side wall from which the end flap extends whereby the end fiap when it extends across and in closing relation to the open end of the carton may be releasably held by the tuck flap in such position and the carton be thereby held erect without adhesive, stitching or other similar connecting means, the end flap having a transverse slit in spaced parallel relation to and more nearly proximate of one side edge of said end flap than the other side edge of said end flap and extending a distance less than the entire width of the end flap from a point on said first mentioned line of scoring to a point just short of intersection with the second mentioned line oi scoring to provide an unslit portion of the end flap near the end of the slit proximate the second mentioned line of scoring and spaced from the first mentioned line of scoring; the improvement wherein the end flap has a slit extending coincident with the mentioned second line of 6 scoring toward the mentioned more proximate side edge' of the end flap from a point at which a lineal projection of the mentioned transverse slit intersects the mentioned second line of scoring, the mentioned slits, the first mentioned scoring and the proximate side edge of the end flap substantially outlining and defining edges of an openable area in the end flap which the mentioned unslit portion of the end flap tends to hold closed and in plane with the end flap, and the tuck flap has an opening with two edges, one opening edge being coincident with and formed by the second mentioned end flap slit and the other edge being opposite to and spaced from the first edge a distance allowing a finger insert space of a dimension that finger insertion therein forces the edges apart tending thereby to rupture the mentioned unslit portion of the end flap and to urge the openable area of the end flap outwardly to open the carton, without generating forces tending to dislodge the tuck flap from its aforesaid tucked relation with the aforesaid opposite side wall.

2. In a reclosable dispensing carton as described in claim 1 in which the edge of the mentioned opposite wall under which the tuck flap is adapted to be tucked has a notch extending, when the tuck flap is so tucked, around the edge of the mentioned finger insert space opening and allowing access to the finger insert space opening.

3. In a reclosable dispensing carton as described in claim 1 in which the therein second mentioned slit terminates a distance just short of intersection with the mentioned proximate side edge of the end flap thereby providing an unslit portion of the end flap near one end of the second mentioned slit and on the side of the finger insert space opening opposite to that on which the first mentioned unslit portion occurs.

4. In a reclosable dispensing carton having adjoining side walls, a closing flap extending from one side wall, the closing flap having scoring between and providing a hinge connection for the closing flap and side wall, a tuck flap on the end of the closing flap, the closing flap having lineally extending scoring between and providing a hinge connection for the closing and tuck flaps, the closing and tuck flaps adapted, when the carton is erect, to be bent along the scorings, the closing flap relative to the side wall from which it extends and toward an opposite side wall and across space therebetween and the tuck flap relative to the closing flap and under and in contact with the mentioned opposite side wall, the closing flap having a slit extending lineally at an angle to the second mentioned scoring from a point on the first mentioned scoring to a point on the closing flap spaced from the second mentioned scoring, the closing flap having a second slit extending toward a side edge of the closing fiap and to a point spaced therefrom and along and coincident to the second mentioned scoring from a point thereon at which a lineal projection of the first mentioned slit intersects the second mentioned scoring, the mentioned scorings, slits, and closing flap side edge substantially outlining and defining an openable area in the closing flap and a door flap therefor which portions of the closing flap between the second mentioned scoring and the thereto nearer end of the first mentioned slit and between the closing flap side edge and the thereto nearer end of the second mentioned slit tend to hold closed and in plane With the closing flap, and the tuck flap having a pair of spaced slits of equal length extending width-wise of the tuck flap from points within the tuck flap perimeter toward the second mentioned slit, substantially outlining and defining therewith a weakened tuck flap area having an outer edge formed by the second mentioned slit and an inner edge opposite thereto and extending between the inner ends of the mentioned pair of spaced slits and spaced from the mentioned outer edge a distance equal to the length of the tuck flap slits and so that when a users finger is inserted through the weakened tuck flap area and between the mentioned inner and outer edges thereof, the inner edge of the weakened tuck flap area and the door flap are coincidentally engaged tending thereby assassito, urge thedoor flap outwardly to rupture portions of the closing flap. between the.- second mentioned, scoring and the thereto nearer end of the first mentioned slit and: portions of the flap between the closing flap side. edge and the. thereto nearer end of the second mentioned. slit to thus open the carton and at the same time to urge thetuck flop against movement from its tucked relation: with he mentionedv opposite side wall.

5.. In a reclosable dispensing. carton as described in. claim 4 in which the pair of tuck flap slits extend so. that. lineal projections thereof traverse the: closing flap. between the portionthereof between. second mentioned seer-- ing and the thereto nearer end. of the first mentioned. slit and the portion of the closing flap; between the closing flaps'ide edge and the thereto nearer end of the second men-- tioned slit whereby the weakened tuck. flap area and: region of finger engagement of the door flap is between; unslit portions of the closing flap.- whose; rupture is pre-' requisite to opening the door flap and. the carton.

6. In a reclosable dispensing carton having adjoining side walls, a closing flap extending from, one side wall, the closing flap having scoring between and: providing a hinge connection for the closing flap and side wall,. a. tuck flap on the end of the closing flap, the closing flap having lineally extending scoring between andv providing a hinge connection for the; closing and tuck flaps, the closing and tuck flaps adapted, when the carton erect, to be bent: along the scorings', the closing flap rel.- ative to the side wall from which. it extends. and toward: an opposite side wall and across space therebetween and the tuck flap relative to the. closing flap and under. andin: contact with the mentioned opposite side wall, the. closing; flap having a first slit extending lineally and at. an; angle-to: and-.towardthe second mentioned. scoring from apoint on the. first mentioned scoring' and a. second slit extending toward the closing flap side edge and coincident with and: alongthe. second mentioned scoringfrom a; point; there.- on at which a lineal. projectionv of the first mentioned slitintersects the second mentioned scoring, one. ofthe: men?- tioned slits terminating at a point spaced from that; to-

wards which the slit. extends, the mentioned scorings,-

slits, and closing flap side edge substantially outlining. and defining an openable area in the closing flap anda door flap therefor which. portions of the closing flap between the second mentioned scoring and the theretonearer endv of the first mentioned slit and between the:

closing flap side edge and the thereto nearer end of the second mentioned slit tend to hold closed and in plane with. the closing flap, and the tuck flap having a pair of spaced slits of equal length extending width-wise of the tuckflap from points within the tuck flap perimeter toward the second mentioned slit substantially outlining and defining therewith a weakened tuck flap area havingan outer edge formed by the second mentioned slit and an inner edge opposite thereto and extending between the inner ends of the mentioned: pair of spaced slits and spaced from the mentionedouter edge a distance equal to the length of the tuck flap slits and so that, when a users finger is inserted through the weakened tuck flap area and between the mentioned inner and outer edges thereof, the inner edge of the weakened tuck flap area and the door flap are coincidentally engaged tending thereby to urge the door flap outwardly to rupture unslitportions of the closing flap between an end of one of the first and second mentioned slits and that. of .the' flap side edge and second mentioned scoring toward which the slit extends to time open the carton and at the same time to urge the tuck flap. against. movement from its tucked. relation with the mentioned opposite side wall. s i

7. In a reclos'able dispensing carton as described in claim. 6 in which the mentioned. one of the first and sec ond slits in the closing flap that terminates in spaced relation to that towards which the slit extends is the menti'oned second. slit terminating at -a point spaced from the closing flap side edge towards which the second slit extends.

References Cited in. the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,085,372 Bahlsen Ian. 27, 1914 2,027,488 Ness .Ian. 14', 1936- 2 ,105,547 Mergentheim.- Ian. 18, 1938' 2,115,673 Stompe Apr. 26,, 1938 2,129,980 Alfred. Sept. 13; 1938 2,473,492 Shina June 14, 1949' 2,605,038 Wells July 29; 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 364,021 Germany Nov. 16, 1922 603,543 Great Britain--- June 17, 1948 

